The sweater with a play on Drake's popular song, Hotline Bling {that can only mean one thing ;)}, made me chuckle as I debated on buying it. Do I need really another Christmas "jumper" {British for sweater}? The answer should always be and is always: YES, at least while we are living in London.

London goes all out for Christmas. If you follow me on Instagram, you'd see all the lights + decorations the city has displayed since the beginning of October {yes, OCTOBER! Even before Halloween!}. And while people at home are decked out in holiday sweaters for their "ugly Christmas sweater" themed party, the Brits seriously {as one can be} wear their sweaters to work, to the pub, to go shopping, walking around, having coffee, etc. It's an essential part of the winter wardrobe here, so I just had to get the sweater.

Being in London this entire holiday season {I'm missing home!}, I've learned that not only are Christmas sweaters a big deal, but I've also learned a few more cultural differences compared to The States:

1. I'm sure I mentioned this last year, but to reiterate, the city celebrates Christmas and only Christmas. It's Christmas everywhere: Christmas trees + wreaths on private doors, in public squares, restaurants, pubs, schools, etc. People only wish others a "Merry Christmas". I asked a Jewish student of mine if he was offended by this, his reply: "Not at all. Americans are so concerned about what's politically correct. It's absurd." So there you go. Christmas is all around us {cue the Love Actuallysong}.

3. London is LIT! Everything and anything is decorated with glittering lights. Not just the high or main streets, but every little street, every store front, every pub and restaurant...

Carnaby Street in Soho

Oxford and Regent Street {above + below} have been decorated since the beginning of October.

St. Christopher's Place above + Covent Garden below

Cartier store on New Bond Street {there are more lights on Old Bond Street!} all wrapped up as a gift to passerbys.

4. It will not snow, much to my dismay. Now, I don't want Chiberia flying over here, but can a girl get a flake or two so it feels like Christmas?!

5. Social calendars seem to fill up since Christmas parties are no joke here, unless of course you work in a school. Businesses seem to have multiple Christmas parties, lunches, and dinners. Ross, for instance, had a full-day Christmas party that started at 10 in the AM and ended until the last person stumbled home and/or the pub closed. He also had a team Christmas dinner the following week. We even went to a celebratory Christmas breakfast with Swedish carolers before work one day.

6. Traditional English Christmas dinner is similar to our Thanksgiving meal, with turkey and stuffing. Since we've been there + done that {and because our turkey had feathers still on it, which we had to burn off with a lighter *ugh* and I just.can't.even.deal.}, we'll be having a very Italian Christmas dinner comprised of bruschetta and lasagna :).

7. Boxing Day is apparently like our Black Friday and is a national holiday {though, they've adopted this American tradition, as well, yet it seems to be misplaced and confused here}. After doing some research, the history of Boxing Day was truly made for servants who were granted the day off, went home to their families, and took home gift boxes from their employers. Nowadays, I think it's meant to be spent with family. Maybe ours will be spent in a pub ;).

8. Speaking of pubs, most are packed this time of year with holiday dinner specials + parties. Unlike The States where many friends host parties in their homes, the flats here are too small {our 550 sq. ft. place couldn't hold a proper party}. Seems like pubs are a popular party spot in the winter and parks are a popular meeting ground in the spring/summer.

9. Santa Claus is oddly named "Father Christmas" here. I can't get on board with that one.

10. Secret Santa, should a workplace or friend organize the gift exchange, seems to be truly secret {gasp!}. I've participated twice now at school and Ross has participated twice at work, and each time if you don't know your gift giver, it will always remain a secret. I have no clue who gave me some fancy tea maker last year and a blanket this year. As someone who likes to thank the giver {and as someone who doesn't like secrets}, I can't get on board with this either.

So the lesson learned about Christmas in London? Despite the nuances between "our" Christmas + "their" Christmas, it cannot be argued that London is the most jolly + festive during the holiday season, which makes it the best time to visit compared to any other time of year. ​​​

​Welcome back, friends! It’s been a while since I’ve last posted but with our trip to Florida {which was so relaxing, thanks for asking} and the start of a new school year {I’m teaching 8th, 10th, and 11th grade, in case you were wondering ;)}, I’ve found little time {and maybe little inspiration} to write.

In any case, being in Florida for a couple of weeks and then returning back to London has allowed me to reflect on life in The States and life in Europe. Being in Florida highlighted some major differences {and similarities} between America and England and also taught me a few {maybe more than a few!} new lessons:

A terrifying realization I concluded is the amount of preservatives and full-on junk that is in our food in America. In doing a comparison between something as simple as bread, the food in England appears to have fewer preservatives, fewer grams of sugar, and fewer ingredients that I don’t know how to pronounce. In say that though, it didn’t stop me from eating the delicious food at home!

And speaking of food, food in the grocery stores and food in restaurants are absurdly expensive in America. Our grocery budget about doubled when shopping at Publix in Florida in comparison to shopping at Whole Foods in London {craziness!}.

People in America, and especially in the southern states are just so darn friendly. I received so many “hellos” and smiles and made more small talk in 15 days than I have in the last 19 months in London {insert eye roll}. In fact, I forgot how unpleasant some Londoners were upon returning that when smiling at the first person walking down the street, I was actually a little offended by her scowl in response to my goofy grin. Don’t worry though, since being back “home” in London, I’ve gotten used to the grumpiness of passer-bys.

I really appreciate that in London, in terms of pricing, what you see is what you get. The price tag includes tax and therefore, there are no surprises when you check out.

I also like in London how they have contactless technology, so there is no signing or swiping when paying. This took some getting used to, but despite the lack of efficiency in most other areas of London-living, the contactless is highly efficient. I use my contactless debit card when hopping on the tube, checking out at the grocery store, paying a dinner bill… One tap and you’re done! Easy peasy.

Target is Disneyworld and I miss it so.so.SO.much. Need Band-Aids? Go to Target. Need to buy some yogurt? Go to Target. Need to buy a costume for your themed day at school tomorrow? Yep, Target. What if you need adorable, individually canned champagne? TARGET!

Because of the many one-stop-shops in America, along with the constant driving, my overall activity and steps decreased in Florida. While it was nice to quickly run errands at home, I did feel rather lazy.

90 degrees in Florida in the dead of August is very different than 90 degrees in London. And guess what? 90 degrees in Florida is much more pleasant, because of this great invention called the air conditioner.

I’ll make this one short and sweet because I can get on my soap box about this: education is entirely different in England than the schools I’ve taught at in America {though they face similar struggles and issues}. In my experience, American schools are ahead of the game.

I’ve said this time and time again, there is a lack of follow-through and meeting deadlines in England. Case in point: our visas. We had some visa issues this summer and we were applying to obtain new visas. Mine was supposed to arrive A MONTH AND A HALF AGO. It should have only taken 7-10 days, and as of this post, I still don’t have it in my hands.

Whenever I’m home or whenever I meet someone new in London, someone is bound to ask me how I enjoy London. And people, no matter who asks me {Europeans, Americans, etc.}, are always offended when I say I am not fond of living here, as if I’ve criticized a dear friend of theirs. And all I really have to say is this: being a tourist and being a resident is vastly different—night + day, sun + moon, salt + pepper {you get the idea!}. As a tourist, I loved London. As a resident, I despise it {minus some aspects, like traveling and spending time with Ross}. Further, my living experience here is exponentially different than the next expat who moves over here; we all don’t have similar realities. However, I do feel that I am entitled to this opinion after living here for almost 2 years. So, to the next person who asks, I’m not sorry for not loving London. On the other hand, ask me about traveling to Italy or Greece or Spain. My answer is going to be much more positive!

Whether we are living at home or abroad, life goes on without us {as tough as that is to learn}. In any case, as we move into another year here {I count my year by the school calendar ;)}, I’m hoping that we’ll travel just a bit more before we quickly make our way back to the land of the free and the home of the brave {insert a big heart emoji}.

We've been here for about 13 months and in my mind, I feel like we're about half way through our stint here in London {could be wishful thinking, but hey, whatever makes me sleep at night, ya know?}. Sure, the days have definitely gotten brighter here {figuratively speaking of course, as the days lit-ra-ley {how the Brits say it, one of my favorite words in their language} couldn't be more gloomy} and there's endless opportunity for travel, but there are just some "bits" to London that still irk me and I simply just don't understand.

That being said, I'm trying to maintain a glass-is-half-full attitude, after all, where else would I be able to perfect my British accent or eat chips {fries} with every meal or be able to bring a baby into a bar {if I wanted to, of course, or had one or knew of someone here who had one}? See, for every 5 things that drive me crazy, there's always one positive ;). And that, my friends, brings me to the 11 things I've learned the last few weeks that bother me, and yet also intrigue me:

1. They love mayo. I knew from the minute we moved here how much Brits loved their mayonnaise, as it was served with everything from sandwiches to fries to tacos. But I just recently learned how obsessed they are with it when I saw a woman drinking it and another man scooping spoonfuls into his mouth. Are you grossed out yet?

2. They {or at least the people I've encountered} don't say "Bless You" after sneezing and if you say it to them, they either stare in confusion or glare at you for talking. They also don't respond to "excuse me." In fact, I've gotten an "you're excused" response back when trying to push my way through a crowd of people. So much for those proper manners...

3. Winters are mild here. Last winter was extremely cold for them {I had to wear two pairs of pants on some days while out and about}, but I guess that's abnormal. This winter is much more bearable with temps in the 40-50s, so I've only had to wear one pair of pants ;). It just rains. A lot.

5. Their pancakes are not thick + fluffy. Instead, they're thin + sticky. They are more like crepes than pancakes.

6. Men {and I'm talking middle-aged to old men} love Hollister here. They love wearing the Hollister logo plastered all over their shirts like teenage boys in The States.

7. Sorted means "figured out" or "organized." However, it never quite comes out as sorted with the "t" sounded out. Instead, with the British accent, it comes out as "sohd'd".

8. It takes forever and a day to fix anything that breaks in a flat. I've commented on the lack of communication and effort here in the past, but this is the icing on top: our washer and drier was broken for a month before anything was done. And they claimed to have "fixed" it, yet it still doesn't work.

9. Because we're American, we're supposed to answer for all Americans, the country, and our political system. Did you know that my opinion was also your opinion? Doesn't seem right, or even logical for that matter.

10. I used to think the American school system was all about testing and teaching to the test. Boy, was I wrong. I have never felt more pressure by the testing + inspections + audits than I do teaching here. It's absurd how much testing goes on in England, and it saddens me to see students only care about the assessments.

11. I'll end on a positive note: British schools + international schools, like the one I work in, have a week or longer break every 6 weeks. My mid-term, weeklong break is this week. Then in another 6 weeks, we have a two week spring break. While we get out a bit later {June 24} than schools at home, I am loving the fact that I have long breaks built into the school year.

I am in shock by how quickly 2015 flew by, and even more, I cannot believe that we have been in London now for 1 full year. One. Full. Year. Yikes!

January 5th marks the day Ross + I landed in London. It marks the day the taxi dropped us off in the middle of nowhere, the middle of the ghetto in London {I will never go back to our first shack}. I will never forget my feelings: terrified of the future, uncomfortable in our new "home", and completely unsure + insecure about myself. Will we make it here? Will we succeed or will we fail? Will we survive? Will we like our new lives in London?

And, I am here, one year later to say, even though there are still things I'm uncomfortable with, even though there are still things that I am frustrated by, and even though I'm still homesick, we have made it{hooray!}. We made a name for ourselves abroad, we made some friends, and we made our little 550 square foot flat homey {that in itself is an accomplishment}.

People always ask, has the experience been worth it? How long will you stay? Would you do this again? Since moving, I've failed; I've cried; I've acted childish; I've snapped; I've failed again; I've been terrified; I've cried some more; I've judged things + people that were "different" and was judged myself; oh, and did I mention, I've cried? I've also laughed and learned and tried new things and laughed some more. I'm not sure what the future holds for us or what London means in the grand scheme of things, but, what I do know, is that right now, we are in the place we're supposed to be. And that has to count for something, right?

It's funny how much can happen in a year, how much can change, and how much growth + learning can occur. In a short year, we've experienced England, France, Italy, Switzerland, Wales, Spain, and shortly Qatar. We've also experienced coming home {many times!}, and there is no better feeling than seeing the smiles of loved ones after being gone for weeks/months. In this next year, we will have even more new experiences: new countries to visit, new people to meet, and I'm sure new challenges to overcome {sprinkled in with even more trips home for more weddings!}.

Needless to say, 2015 was a memorable year- definitely one for the books. And I'm sure the future will continue to be more of the same, crazy journey. That being said, cheers to 2016, this new year ahead of us, and a new year ahead of you.

This year, our turkey day was filled with a 6AM wake up call, emails to tend to, and colleagues to communicate with. And while I am enjoying teaching, the last place I wanted to be on Thanksgiving was at work.

However, as Ross + I discussed, Thanksgiving away from home has made us appreciate the holiday filled with family, friends, and a copious amount of food + wine. Further, it's made me appreciate Americans' pride and sense of community. Lastly, being here for the holiday helped me to learn the following:

1. Black Friday surprisingly exists in Europe. Specifically in London, it started last year. They have absolutely no idea the meaning of Black Friday or why it exists. And they think Americans are absolutely out of their mind for feeding into the Black Friday frenzy {I'm a little confused why they started the shopping trend then...}.

2. Turkeys are so expensive here. From what we saw at a local shop, a turkey is £14 per kilogram, or about $21 for 2 pounds.

3. The English have turkey or ham for Christmas dinner.

4. Ground turkey is called minced turkey. I know that because I made turkey meatballs for Thanksgiving dinner {since turkeys are expensive}. How jealous are you of these meatballs below?

5. A few restaurants around London do have Thanksgiving meal deals. For a mere £30 per person {$45}, you can enjoy all the classics.

6. Even though the Brits don't celebrate Thanksgiving, they sure know how to celebrate Christmas {after all, they have two full months to prepare and set up while America is busy celebrating Halloween + Turkey Day...}. Just look at the lit up streets and markets below.

While I was not thrilled about being here for Thanksgiving {I may have shed some tears about this...}, the Brits sure seem to know how to Christmas, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the season is celebrated here and share Christmas Eve and Day here with my husband :) {I'll at least be home in Chicago shortly before the actual holiday}. Happy holidays, friends!

We are officially out of our old flat, and we are moved into the new flat {yippee!}. Between the old and the new flat, we stayed in an Airbnb right down the block from our new place. While the move has been a bit stressful because of all the moving pieces {pun intended}, the Airbnb was quaint and {wait for it....wait for it....} IT HAD A TV!!! I mean, we haven't sat like a bump on a log, watching tv, for 9 months. Literally. For 9 months, we have been on the go, forcing ourselves out of the apartment because there is nothing to do. And oh.my.goodness have I missed mindless, reality shows that remind me that 1) I am a sane human being and 2) that my life is pretty darn good.

So, without further ado, let me tell you all I've learned about British pop culture {sprinkled in with some random lessons I've noted here and there!} from a relaxing, inactive weekend.

1. They use American actors to advertise British products. Kevin Bacon is the spokesman for a UK cellphone network.

2. They celebrate Guy Fawkes Day. Guy Fawkes tried to blow up Parliament. I honestly don't understand why they are memorializing someone who attempted to take down the government...

3. Savage, from what I've learned from British TV, means terrible.

4. Moving within London has to be the most complicated thing possible because this country's customer service consists of a bunch of box tickers. There is no flexibility for anything outside the box. We had trouble moving our utilities over {apparently our current place and our new place never existed in their system}. We had trouble with our bank {again}. Because of this, we are never moving again within London.

5. Movies are rated differently in the UK.

6. Butter at the movie theater doesn't exist. They only have salt or sweet popcorn.

7. Stephanie Pratt {you know, from The Hills?!?!} is in their popular, reality show, Made in Chelsea.

8. Leases don't start on the first of the month like it normally does in The States. They can start whenever {the 3rd, the 7th, the 17th...}. Which makes moving entirely difficult and hence, why we were in a temporary place before moving into our longterm rental. Again, because of this, we are never.moving.again {unless of, course it's home ;)}. ​9. Profanity isn't a big deal in the UK because everyone curses. I don't know whether that is a good thing or bad thing, but students don't gasp when they hear profanity.

10. From coaching in a volleyball tourney this past week, I learned a) the term tourney doesn't exist in their vocabulary and b) I miss American sporting events. The American team we played against was boisterous and energetic {Brits would probably use the terms loud and obnoxious} but I loved everything about their cheers and team spirit.

11. Christmas is everywhere here. They don't recognize other religious holidays in their commercials, store displays, and language; everything is about Christmas and Christmas only.

I haven't done one of these posts in a while, where I list what I've learned about living in London for the week. The summer was crazy and the start to fall was "just mad" {as the Brits would say}, as I started teaching again, and to be honest, the winter isn't slowing down. We have 3 European trips planned in November, along with another move just blocks from where we currently live, and I am going home for a short visit in December. So before things get ABSOLUTELY insane, I wanted to share some eye-openers I've had in the last few weeks:

1. England starts celebrating Christmas in October. As someone who adores the holiday season, I find this just a bit too early. They skip over Halloween and Thanksgiving {I get it...} but to see Christmas decorations, gifts, and parties being planned this far in advance seems absolutely crazy. I'd like to live in the moment, but they seem intent on doing otherwise.

2. Speaking of holidays, Halloween is no fun here. There is no trick-or-treating, which means there is no candy to eat. There are barely any fall decorations. I feel like I've been entirely robbed of one season and one holiday {well two, if you count Thanksgiving!}...

3. Speaking of seasons, fall is not in their vocabulary. It's autumn {insert eye roll here}.

4. "Autumn" weather started in September. While America was enjoying an Indian summer, London was full-on fall with blanket scarves, heavy coats, and cold rain.

5. And one more note about fall, the leaves are changing here... yes; however, they are not changing as much and the colors aren't as vibrant as they are at home {just look at the gorgeous picture I took on a run through my hometown!}. I am guessing this has something to do with the mild temperatures, but I don't see as many leaves changing colors and as many leaves falling.

6. I {kind of ;)} LOVE London {I know, right?}. The one reason why I love London: The Ladies of London. On a quick trip home, I watched half of this mindless series and found myself proudly boasting, "I know that place!" "They live right by me!" "I've been there!" AND {the coolest part} "SHE'S MY YOGA INSTRUCTOR!!!!" {I mean, we're practically bffs...err we will be one day!}. Ok, so it may be a bit absurd to say I looooove London because of this reality show, but hey, everyone has their reasons, right?

7. I've just finished a half term of teaching. While I'm in an international school {meaning, I am not teaching the English curriculum}, I've noticed that these students are extremely more mature than some students I've taught in the past {this is not meant to be a judgement on any student I'm currently teaching or have taught}. I think it's because they have to be independent, despite their young age, to take public transportation on their own, understand and accept other cultures, and adapt to changing situations, since some have moved around the world frequently.

8. While teachers at home are being trained on lockdown procedures, in the event of an intruder, teachers in the UK are being trained on preventing extremism.

9. Being in a school located in England, the computers and printers are hard to get used to. The keyboard isn't the same and the paper is a larger size. I can't locate the "@" sign on my school desktop or certain symbols. So I just stick with my own laptop ;).

10. We've been here for almost 10 months now. I still am missing home {yes, I know, this will contradict what I just said in number 6 but every day, I wake up with a new feeling, and often times they are contradictions of one another, which often times, leaves me confused} and I am still not completely sold on this new life here {insert other people's eye rolling, as they think I'm just being a big ol' baby, but you know what, #sorryimnotsorry}.

I am all sorts of excited for this weekend. Why, you might ask? It's my last weekend in London for TWO whole months! While I am going to miss a few things {walking everywhere and the fresh food and Ross for 4 weeks}, I am beyond excited to escape my international life.

I can't wait to see my family. I can't wait to see my friends. I can't wait for my trips to Cleveland, Cincinnati, Lake Geneva, Louisville, and New York City. I can't wait for the Chicago foods I've been missing. I can't wait for the summer heat {I'm sure I will regret saying that!}. I can't wait to say "hello" to the skyline. I can't wait to see some of our closest friends and family members get married. And...most importantly, I cannot wait to marry Ross {but I'm trying to enjoy the last few moments engaged!}!!!!!! I can't believe it's here!!!!

Anyway, before I sign off the blog for the summer {like I said, I want to live in the moment}, I wanted to write one final post about British lingo. I've heard some interesting vocabulary the last couple weeks that are must shares:

1. Trouble and strife: A Cockney rhyme meaning "wife." So when someone says, "Where is your trouble?" or "Where is your trouble and strife?" It means, "Where is your wife?"

2. Apples and pears: Another Cockney rhyme meaning "stairs." This one I don't understand as much, so I'm not even going to attempt using it in a sentence.

3. Cutlery: Eating utensils, as in "Can I have some cutlery to eat my breakfast?"

I cannot believe we landed in this crazy business exactly 6 months ago. There were days that seemed endless and then days that just passed by. And as I sit here, I keep thinking, "Where did time go?" Seriously. Where did it go? We leave for Chicago in 11 days and we get married in just about 2 months. I was counting down the days, hours, minutes for this summer {I still am, by the way}, and it's now so close, I can smell it {or touch it? feel it? You get the idea...}.

So I am going to dedicate this post to myself and what I've learned about myself in the 6 months I've been here:

1. I am obsessed with yoga, and I feel my best when practicing. If I was living at home, I don't think I would have had the time or opportunity to strengthen my inner yogi, and I do feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to do so in London.

2. I finally learned the reason why people have one, consistent hairdresser {surprisingly, I never had one in Chicago}. Everyone should have a Vinny, who has travelled the world, says their hair is boring but nonetheless beautiful, and whose sister is friends with celebs {I saw pics!}.

3. No matter where I am in the world, I still melt like a popsicle when it becomes remotely warm. I'm pretty sure Europeans don't sweat or get hot, as seen by their heavy clothing on the warmest days. All the while, I am glistening and sparkling like a darn pig. And it's made worse by the fact that there is no AC anywhere, so I can't even cool off. I wish I inherited the "no sweating" gene, if that is such a thing.

4. I learned to stick up for myself. I've never been one to keep my mouth shut in general when something doesn't feel right; however, I never really felt comfortable expressing my feelings. Now, there is no stopping me. I've learned to stand up when someone is treating me unfairly because there is only one person who is going to be my number one advocate: me. Ross is a very close second and then Angel ;).

5. My family and friends mean the world to me and that's why London will never be home.

6. Walking is the best mode of transportation. I love knowing that I am doing my bit {like my British lingo here?} to help the environment {and my health}.

7. I miss teaching terribly. I really feel like this is my calling in life, and I only needed to be away from it temporarily to understand my passion for the profession.

8. In saying that, I am not an corporate person. I do not understand corporate culture or office environment and norms.

9. I wish I had learned a different language. I mean I did. I learned French. But you want to know all that I remember? Bonjour! Seriously, that's it. Hearing so many languages on a daily basis makes me wish that I had only cared more about learning a different language other than English.

10. I still don't know the difference between an immigrant and an ex-pat, but I do know that people treat you differently when they hear either word. And it's not a nice feeling. Because of that, I will always go out of my way to make an immigrant and/or an ex-pat feel at home. After all, we are all human beings.

Yes, after this weekend, I now know what that means, Lil Boosie and Lil Phat {I apologize ahead of time for the contents and language of the video}.

Ross was out of town this weekend for his friend's bachelor party in Louisville. While I was excited for him to have time with his friends and spend some time in the states, I was also nervous about being in a large, international city, all. by. my. self.

In any case, here is what I learned from being "independent" this past weekend:

1. I have the ability to consume an obscene amount of television when left by myself. I managed to finish {and I'm not proud of this} the most recent seasons of Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries, and Revenge. Do you know how many hours I lost? It's sick.

2. I know my way around the city, pretty well, actually {pat on my back!}. I had two people ask me for directions, even one person telling me I looked local.

3. I really like being in the touristy areas when I'm alone, because there are a lot of people and a lot of noise. I ran all the way to Covent Garden {5 miles across town- all on my own!}, a major tourist attraction, with a little market and restaurants. Normally, I would try to stay away from an area like this, but I was comforted by all the action.

Usually, there is some show in the square at Covent Garden. Whether it's someone singing, doing magic tricks, or telling jokes, there is always some kind of crowd here.

Despite the crowds, it has a cute, little market AND they have Shake Shack, which is a bonus.

4. I REALLY missed home this weekend, especially on an American, holiday weekend that kicks off summertime. And, of course, I forgot my American flag shirt at home, so I couldn't even celebrate in my own little way here {*sigh*}.

5. I do have friends here I can call; however, when it's a bank holiday in the UK, as it was this past weekend, EVERYONE leaves the city for a mini-vaca.

6. Independence is not just about owning a house or a car or having two jobs, as rapped in the song, but it means to be comfortable and content being alone. I used to think that I was independent, and after this weekend, I realized that I do not enjoy being by myself BUT I also realized, that after all the years of growing up as an only child, I am fully capable of entertaining myself {see number 1}.

Well, friends, I've had quite a busy week, and it's only going to pick up from here. Is that even possible? Between freelancing as a publicist, learning about my new part-time English teaching position in the fall {I got the job!!!}, blogging, and helping to curate a Chicago restaurant Instagram account for the Top City Group, which started in London {follow, follow, follow!!!!!: @top_chicago_restaurants_}, time seems to be an uncanny magician, disappearing like a crazy act.

And somehow, in the midst of this chaotic, yet fun and surreal, time, I'm still observing + learning parts about London + English culture that I didn't know {I'm having déjà vu. Have I said this before?}. Funny story, I thought I knew everything I needed to know about London when I went home a few weeks ago. However, I come back and it seems like it's a whole new world. Again, I ask is that even possible?

1. A bottle of water is always served with a glass.

2. Whatever allergen is in the air, it's terrible here. I've never had allergies and now I am a sneezing, wheezing, leaking sink :(.

3. Compared to the winter where there was 4 hours of sunshine, now the sun doesn't set until almost 9pm.

4. British people are comfortable with ambiguity {that's come from a Brit!}. Honestly, this explains a whole lot. Where I feel Americans, specifically me, need thorough explanations otherwise I'm confused and unsure, they seem to embrace the unknown.

5. Women wear black tights or some kind of colored tights during the fall and winter. And during the spring {I have yet to observe summer-wear} they wear nude nylons. They do not enjoys bare legs {I've gotten many looks of dismay when I forgo the nylons}. You know what I don't enjoy? Restrictive, sheer, stretchable, itchy material over my legs. Nor do I like the word "nylon." Or people staring.

6. I have yet to see anyone wear flip flops or open toe shoes, even on the warmest days. And when you do, people stare.

7. When it is hot outside, the tube cars are dreadfully stuffy, warm, and smelly. This is going to cause major problems as I will admit that I am the most cranky when I'm all hot and bothered {just ask my friend Tracy ;)}.

8. Surprisingly, I don't think ice tea is a speciality here.

9. Rather than saying "envision," British people say "envisage." They are synonymous but I'm curious why "envisage" is used more often here.

10. Likewise, British people say "fortnight" quite a bit, which means every other week or two weeks. As in, "The project will take a fortnight to complete, so be prepared to work for a couple weeks on it." It's confusing. How is language, especially when supposedly English, this confusing?

11. Coming back to London after two weeks in Chicago makes me realize I haven't fully transitioned here and it's been almost 5 months. Maybe at 6 months I'll feel "home." Just maybe...

I just got back to London from my 13-day trip home. And to be honest, I'm a little depressed. Ok, actually very depressed {I may have cried like a wittle baby at the airport...}. I am excited to be back in London because of Ross + my Angel pup, but this is not home. I don't know if it will ever be or feel like home.

The good news is that I will be home again in a few short weeks, and I will stay in Chicago until shortly after our wedding. Did you hear that? I will be home for almost 2 months this summer {Weeeeee! Yipeeeeeee!!!}. And did you also hear that? Our wedding is so soon {insert happy dance and clapping hands emoji}.

Being back home for long periods of time help me to reflect and focus on new parts of London {and Chicago} that I did not know or realize before. So, this post is all about what I learned about London while not actually being in London. And the bottom line is: London isn't terrible, but as I said previously, it's just not home {which means that it's not the best ;)}.

1. The food is so bland in London. On the other hand, the food is too salty in Chicago (and this is coming from a salt-a-holic).

2. The L is just as convenient and easy to use as the tube, and I wish I had taken advantage of it and appreciated it more when I lived at home; however, the L is certainly filthier than the tube. Chicago needs to take a hint from London and step up its train game.

3. America definitely has an obesity problem. I've tried to defend Americans and our weight issues while living overseas, but after being in Chicago, I've noticed just how unhealthy we are. That being said, not all Americans are like that. Just like not all Europeans are healthy.

4. British people do not enjoy making small talk with people they don't know or just meet. Americans {at least Chicagoans} seem to talk to anyone.

5. I feel much safer walking alone on the streets of London rather than walking the streets of Chicago by myself. Maybe it's because in England, there are no guns {question mark?}. Whatever the reason may be, Chicago definitely is not the safest city {and there are more articles just like that one}.

6. London needs to build a Target. ASAP. Preferably, right next door to our flat.

7. Pedestrians do not have the right of way in London. I can't tell you what a sigh of relief it was to cross the streets in Chicago and not be terrified of getting plowed by a car, motorcycle, bike, bus, or lorry {truck, as them Brits call it}.

8. London water is hard and it makes my clothes hard. Since being home, I learned that I hate how my clothes feel in London. My clothes are much softer when washed at home.

9. Londoners walk. A. Lot. They walk everywhere. I missed this about London {*gasp* did I just say I missed something about London?}.

10. London is nice, but no matter where I travel, Chicago is the most beautiful city I've ever laid eyes on. I almost cried when I saw the skyline from the plane into O'Hare {photo below}.

I am currently writing this post as I sit in my home sweet home, Chicago. There is honestly nothing better than being home with family + friends {I am missing Ross!}. In saying that, being home forces me to make comparisons to where I'm from, where I currently live, and where I visit. And because I've been in THREE {yes, three!} countries in a week, I have definitely learned a thing or two about the European lifestyle vs. the American lifestyle. In here, I'm going to focus on the Parisian life....

1. Compared to the L and the tube, the Paris Metro is old, grimy, + smelly. Yes, it gets you to where you want to go, but I would much rather walk. Also, to get out of the Metro {trust me, you will want to do this as quickly as possible}, "Sortie" means exit.

2. The Parisian petit dejuener {breakfast to us Americans} consists of coffee or tea and a baguette or croissant. Sounds plain + boring, but I have never had better carbs than I've tasted in France. AND, they must be doing something right, because this meal can fill you up until dinner!

3. A Croque Monsieur is not a sandwich, like I expected. It is a piece of bread, layered with ham, and loads of melted cheese.

4. Careful of the motorcycles. They ride on the sidewalks in Paris.

5. Macaroons are spelled Macarons in Paris. You will mac-a-croon over this dessert. Even Ross, who doesn't particularly enjoy macaroons liked the gooey, brownie-like filling of the chocolate flavored one.

6. Food + drinks are obscenely expensive. Bubbly, which is all the rage in London and about 5 quid a glass, could be almost 14 Euros per glass in Paris.

7. Despite the rumors I heard about the French people being impolite, even rude, I was pleasantly surprised that everyone we met was cordial and even friendly. The one advice we were given and seemed to break the ice was to always greet people in Paris with "bonjour" to show you were trying to learn their culture. I think this simple gesture showed our respect for being in a different country- a country in which they are very very proud of {and they should be for all its beauty!}. As one Frenchman boasted, to me "I was born here. I grew up here. And I will die here. I live and breath Paris." I couldn't help but be in awe of his enthusiasm + unconditional love for his country + city.

8. The Louvre cannot be visited in one day. Supposedly, it would take 5 days to see the museum in its entirety {198 rooms}.

9. Do as the Parisian do and eat + drink + catch up by the water. Most people enjoyed the time outside, sitting along the canals, outside the restaurants, or by the Seine. I am obsessed this aspect of their culture, and indulged in hours of just sitting + relaxing while we were in Paris. In fact, the last thing{s} we did was sit by the Seine , listening to the man below sing. And then before truly saying au revoir, we sat by the canal to enjoy the 70-degree sunshine.

10. When in Paris, do have a creme brûlée. I've never had this dessert, and I have been missing out! Then after, walk it off like a Parisian ;).

11. Go to the markets + support the local vendors! The markets in Paris were packed with residents shopping for the week's dinners. There is a charming market right by la Eiffel that is worth checking out, with great food, entertainment, and cute trinkets.

12. The French know how to make delish + fresh bread. Baguettes that have a point at each end show that it's been homemade + hand rolled.

13. Last, but not least, seek out unique cafes amongst the hundreds that line the street in Paris. Ross and I stumbled upon two cafes we loved: one with beautiful, floral decor on the outside and the other, an art cafe. The servers were artists, displaying + selling their paintings and photographs. Talk about one-of-a-kind artwork! I will come back to this cafe to buy some art {maybe for my 31st birthday! ;)}.

We've had an eventful month, and it isn't slowing down from here! Besides having visitors and all of our travels {We go to Paris. TOMORROW!}, I started a new job and interviewed for a part-time English teaching position {cross your fingers!}.

My new gig is in the world of PR for an educational company. In short, I work with their school partnerships to shine light on not only the company's educational products, but their school events, activities, and teaching techniques. So I am writing releases and articles to gain publicly for the company's partners {aka schools} and its product.

To be honest, I am a little nervous about the job because I'm unsure if I am going to do well. However, I am truly liking it because the job gives me time to research schools + education news that I never had the time or opportunity to do as a teacher. Did you hear that? I am getting paid to read about a field that I love AND even more so, I get to read + write about the POSITIVE aspects of education. AND {as if it couldn't get any better!} it's a freelance position, so I can work from home {which really means, anywhere in the world!}. I should pinch myself right now, because it is a dream to have this position.

In the short time I've worked, I've learned SO much about the British school system in comparison to the American school system. So this post about school lessons I've learned this week is dedicated to all my teacher peeps {I miss you guys!}. I hope you enjoy this!

1. The British school year is from September to July and is broken into terms: Fall term {September to Christmas}, Spring term {January to Easter}, and Summer term {April to July}.

2. Schools have a half term holiday that is typically 1-2 weeks. They may have a break after each term, as well {I'm not sure about this...}.

3. The UK has a National Curriculum with a set of Standard Attainment Targets {SAT}.

4. The school systems are broken down into primary and secondary schools; primary school is between the ages of 4-11 years old and secondary school is between the ages of 11-16 years old. At 16 years old, students go onto 6th Form, which is where they prepare for university.

5. To make it even more confusing, the primary and secondary levels are broken into stages, where at the end of each stage, students are tested. Key Stage {KS} 1 is between the ages of 4-7 years old and Key Stage 2 is between the ages of 7-11 years old; therefore, primary school is comprised of KS1 + KS2. KS3 is between the ages of 11-14 years old and KS4 is between the ages of 14-16 years old; so, this means that secondary is comprised of KS3 + KS4. As mentioned, at the end of each KS, student are tested on the SATs.

6. There is a big assessment at the end of KS4; this is known as the GCSE.

7. At the end of KS3 {11 years old, if you are still following along}, students choose 10 subjects to study in KS4. At the end of KS4, students {called pupils in the UK} decide 5 subject areas to study in the 6th Form. They drop all others besides these subjects to prepare for their University major. The required subject areas, from what I understand, are Maths {yes, they make this plural} + English.

8. State schools are known as the public schools; these can have a religious affiliation. So most state schools that I have seen usually have uniforms.

9. Students can choose any school to go to, as it is not dependent on their location. However, the "good" schools fill up quickly; yet, parents can appeal if their child is not placed in the school of his/her choice.

10. Students can choose to go to any school because in the UK, education is seen as free. Meaning, every child should have the same access to a good, equal education. The universities even were free at one point, so anyone can attend. It has only been within the last 10{ish} years where they have instituted tuition for those who choose to attend; this is a hot debate in the general elections this year in the UK, as those running for election are offering a tuition cap.

11. Unlike the United States, professional development for teachers is not required. If you are a teacher, I'm going to let this one sit for a while....{I can't wrap my head around this one}.

12. The world of education is buzzing all over social media. You can follow education gurus + reporters, chat about teaching with educators, read articles about education all over the world by simply looking on social media. AND while every country has its own system, essentially, educators are seeing the same issues + challenges all over the world. And now its time for a shameless plug: follow me on my professional Twitter account {@EducaChamoun} for more information about education and to learn about what I'm doing {all views are my own!}.

And folks, this is just the start of me trying to uncover {or discover or both?} the UK education system! The one thing I am slowly learning is that there is not always going to be a US equivalent to everything in the UK. Their school classification and leveling does not always match up with America's, and I need to learn to accept that. Just breathe....

Happy Friday, friends! I've taken a brief hiatus from blogging to enjoy some traveling with my girlfriend from home {did you miss me?}. Not only was it nice to get away from London and explore a new city, it reminded me, once again, of why Ross and I moved abroad: to travel the world. So I promise to share my Amsterdam experience with gorgeous pictures in the next few posts. However, for now {and since I'm about to head out the door and explore more of London with my biff}, here's what I learned this past week.

1. London is comprised of 32 boroughs. I equate boroughs to the various neighborhoods in Chicago. Much like Chicago has Wrigleyville, Lake View, Lincoln Park, West Loop, South Loop, the Loop, etc, London has boroughs such as Kensington, Chelsea, the City {it refers to an actual name of a borough, not the city of London}, Westminster, Shoreditch, Islington, Notting Hill, etc. And much like Chicago, these boroughs each have its defining characteristics + unique restaurants + shops {shameless plug: for restaurant recs, follow me on insta @learninglondon!}.

2. If you don't finish your food at a restaurant, there are no doggy bags offered to take your leftovers home. Luckily, I'm always hungry, the portions are always small, and our fridge is too tiny to take any food home.

3. I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as personal space in Europe. My personal space has been violated multiple times since moving here.

4. When flying, Easy Jet is a cheap option {like Southwest Airlines}. Everyone who works for Easy Jet is also so incredibly nice and friendly. This is how we flew to Amsterdam. AND I learned that if they cancel the flight {which they did going to Amsterdam}, they will do everything in their power to redirect you on a later flight {which they pay for, along with any other costs associated with the change, including hotels, transportation, and food}.

5. Light switches are usually placed outside the room.

6. There is free wifi in all the major airports I've been to and most coffee shops + cafés, which is great because an iPhone can text, surf the Internet, check email, and FaceTime on airplane mode with wifi {funny side note: apparently the Spanish pronounce this as weefee, so say the English teachers we met who teach abroad in Spain}.

7. After being in Amsterdam for a few days and not understanding the Dutch language, maps, street names, and signs, I am beyond happy + grateful that we moved to an English speaking country. I may not understand everything, but I can at least read and speak the language.

8. London {currency: the pound} is so expensive and Amsterdam {currency: the euro} is so cheap.

9. Residents of Amsterdam are some of the nicest, most helpful people I've ever met. Where I'd be lost in London without anyone offering to help, various locals in Amsterdam would not only guide us in the right direction but then suggest must-see attractions and must-eat restaurants.

10. However, maybe they feel the need to help tourists because there are no maps scattered throughout Amsterdam and each street name looks + sounds the same. So that being said, I am appreciative of the maps that London has on every block.

11. Mayonnaise is served with fries. Always. In London, it comes as a side. In Amsterdam, they smother at least 3 pumps of mayo directly on top your "frites" or "patatas." Sounds disgusting, but don't knock it till you try it {I swear, inside of me, there is a fat kid that forces me to eat unhealthy foods}.

12. My short trip to Amsterdam made me realize how much more I want to travel and how much more I have to see. Watch out, world!

Spoken by the great Dave Matthews {as a longer side note than most of my side notes, you know you're old when middle school + high school students look at you with a blank stare, not knowing DMB}. I've always known this to be true, but it's even more apparent when we have visitors in town. I think that's the most important lesson I've learned so far in this journey abroad. So with that said, here is the weekly round-up:

1. It doesn't matter where you are but who you're with; home doesn't mean a location, but rather, home is a person or people {what a cheese ball, right?}. That couldn't be more true as we've had family visiting last week, and friends coming TOMORROW! We could be in the middle of nowhere with all our friends + family and be happy; or, we could be in a great city, like London, without friends + family and feel lost {we're getting there, though!}. That being said, when I go home to family + friends for two weeks at the end of the month, it's not going to feel quite like home sweet home Chicago without Ross.

2. A stone is 14 pounds. This honestly doesn't make any sense to me. Which stone did they weighed to figure out that measurement?

3. Prescriptions are astronomically cheaper here than at home. What would cost $20-40 with insurance or $80-100 without, cost only £0-8 with National Healthcare. However, I am still on the fence about the National Healthcare System.

4. Mail takes 6-8 weeks to get here from the US. And, if the goods are new, you have to pay UK tax, even if you've already paid taxes for the items in the US.

6. Cuppa is an abbreviation for cup of tea or coffee. Go on, try to use it in a sentence: Do you want to catch up over a cuppa? {I don't even know if that's correct!}.

7. Smoked salmon is served with many breakfast dishes. 6 months ago, I would have told you that it looked like the grossest thing I ever laid my eyes on. Today, I tell you it's the best, tastiest addition to my eggs + toast, especially when smashed avocado is added!

8. No one knows how to scramble an egg here. They are watery + mushy. However, they do make one heck of a poached egg, so it's a good alternative when ordering eggs for breakfast/brunch.

9. While Nordstrom doesn't exist here {I'm missing them tremendously!}, ASOS {also in the US} is very similar: free + fast shipping, easy returns, name brand items, and yet, inexpensive items. There is honestly something for everyone {I feel like I'm their sales rep, and I promise you I'm not, I just have a slight obsession!}. I've ordered {to Ross's dismay} many dresses + skirts in hopes to find something to wear for our wedding shower.

10. Vietnamese Pho is the new Sushi. Start eating it. It's delicious and healthier than sushi. Although, it's quite salty and you'll most likely wake up in the middle of the night dying for a drink of water.

11. Bartenders are stingy with liquor {and wine for that matter}. In fact, there is an actual UK law on how much "spirits" {British term for liquor} should be dispensed {25ml/ 35ml for spirits or 125ml/ 175ml for wine}. 35 ml is 1.2 fluid ounces. So if you feel like your bartender shorted you, s/he did. They also will charge you an arm + a leg for shorting you.

12. Layer up! My friends asked me what to pack and my only suggestion was to wear layer upon layer {I wore 3 long sleeved shirts the other day!}. You could be cold and need those layers or you could be hot and take off a layer. You could be wet and want to keep on your raincoat, or you could be hot + dry and carry your raincoat. And this can all be done on one day in this crazy, beautiful city.

Today is the day! We have visitors coming today! Which is a good thing, because I'm missing home immensely. Having our stuff from Chicago has been wonderfully calming and makes our flat feel homey; however, it makes me miss living in our South Loop loft.

But, before I get sucked into going down the road of homesickness, let me reiterate once more: we have visitors coming! That means America is taking over London for the next couple weeks, and I'm so beyond grateful, because we have been needing this for a while. It's going to be a good day {Ross plays this song on a daily basis, if you click on the link}. In fact, it's going to be a fresh breath of air and a fresh start to the spring season.

And on that note, here's what I learned this week:

1. Cancelled meetings and being late seem to be the norm here. I've had a couple meetings cancelled either on my way to the meeting or as I'm waiting in the office. I'll let you take a guess on how an impatient and prompt American feels when this happened {hint: she was no longer bright-eyed and bushy tailed as she had been on the way to the meeting}. Being late, I can somewhat understand, because as I mentioned last week, it takes forever + a day to get around town; however, I would just plan accordingly {Karma is going to bite me in the butt now and cause me to be late for my next meeting. Who would be laughing then?}

2. No. Delis. Anywhere {insert a starved American in a desert searching, crawling + clawing, begging for a sammy}. There are claims of being a deli, but it's not what we're imagining with heaps of meats and cheeses and condiments and toppings to choose from. There are only premade-can't-make-any-substitutions sandwiches, sandwiches which have been sitting out for hours and hours, available here. Can a girl get some JP Graziano here?!

2.5. That being said, and I've said this before {I think}, the breads + cheeses here are delish. The "salad" as they call the tomato + lettuce toppings are fresh. So they have all the makings for a tasty, hearty American sandwich, but they just don't know how to put it together. Maybe that's my calling here: a deli owner + manager. We may be on to something...

3. Dogs are always in pubs. And the dogs are always well-behaved in pubs, just hanging out with their owner who is paw-tying the night away. Unfortunately, Angel has yet to display proper British manners so she will not be attending any pubs in her near future. Or ever for that matter.

4. At a nearby "American" club, employees, dressed in cowboy hats + boots + bandanas, greet you with an enthusiastic "Howdy!" in front of boxes of pop-tarts. It's funny, because I don't know the last time I said "Howdy" to someone at home. And I don't know a single place, besides a grocery store, that sells pop-tarts or uses it as decor. So I'm not sure where they got this perception of us, but it is drastically different than how Americans truly act.

5. American food apparently means stacks on stacks on stacks of meat. Look at this photo of a menu at a restaurant claiming to serve "American sandwiches." Seriously, take a very close look at the sandwiches, especially the one named "The Punisher." Really?! Again, I don't know about you fellow Americans, but I don't eat like this. I'm actually quite appalled this is our stereotype.

6. No one does St. Patty's day here.

7. They also don't do March Madness here. I'm not sure what's worse: no St. Patty's celebration or no March Madness betting or discussion {and I don't really enjoy basketball it's more of a school/state pride thing for me and now it's an American pride thing for me}. Go UD!

8. For my teacher peeps: I volunteer as a library assistant at a local school and after reading one of their report cards, I learned that schools here take into account value-added scores. I didn't know that was an international measurement.

9. Another one for my teacher peeps: the school management is so super serious here. Zero-tolerance for anything, including what seems like talking. I came from a district where a loud classroom meant cooperative, student-directed learning + high student engagement + autonomy, and thus, learning was happening. Here, it seems as if learning means direct instruction from the teacher, which means the classroom is eerily quiet and you can only hear the teacher's voice. Now, this could only be my experience from volunteering and subbing, so I need a little more time to really confirm {or reject} my initial observations, but it's extremely different from my own practice and beliefs as an American teacher.

9.5. One final education note for all my teachers out there {happy one week till spring break, by the way!!}: Coding is a required part of UK's national curriculum.

10. This may be an obvious + silly statement, but today is the first day of Spring in America and in London! The dates of the seasons don't change here, unlike Mother's Day and Daylight Savings Time.

11. One final thing, these trees below are all over London. While they look like shriveled-up old ladies, I love them! The streets that are lined with these trees are beautiful. Anyone know the name of these trees?

1. Walking and texting/watching tv on your phone/Facebooking/Instagramming/any kind of phone usage that requires you to look down at your phone should be illegal. It's hard enough for me to figure out which side of the sidewalk to walk on, and then to figure out which way to move in order to get out of the phone-using-dimwit's way is just plain difficult and confusing.

2. Anything with a "shire" at the end is pronounced "sure." Hertfordshire sounds like HertfordSURE. Yorkshire sounds like YorkSURE. I don't get it.

3. It takes forever and a day to get anywhere in London. And no one ever seems to be in a hurry to get anywhere. I used to be the slowest human being in America, and now I feel like the fastest in England.

4. It's not considered appropriate to talk on the tube, or at least I've noticed it's weirdly quiet during rush hour. The quietness makes me nervous so I tend to talk. And then I get the evil eye{s}. I know, I'm an amateur.

5. Scooters are popular amongst the children here. Matching scooters between mother + child, father + child, or entire family seems common. You know what else seems common? These scooters running into me {or me running into them!}.

6. UK Mother's Day is Sunday, March 15.

7. UK Daylight Saving Time, appropriately called British Summer Time, is at the end of March {March 29 to be exact}.

8. Grocery delivery like Ocado or Whole Foods is the best thing ever invented. Makes my life so much easier and cooking so much more fun {You know you're lazy, when...}.

9. After first my experience subbing in a wonderful classroom, I realized how much I truly miss teaching. But I miss real, working-with-kids + all-my-attention-is-on-the-kids kind of teaching. Not the bogged-down-by-emails-and-paperwork-and-data-and-meetings, stressful teaching. Sadly, I've come to find teaching isn't about just the kids anymore but subbing allows me to just focus on what I truly enjoy about teaching: the kids. It's a lovely change of pace. Is it possible to be a professional substitute teacher?

9.5. While subbing, I also learned that kids are kids, no matter what country you're in. On the other hand, not all schools are created equal {well, I guess we know that as teachers, but it's definitely different in another country}. I will save that for another post.

Well, folks, I can't believe we've been here for just a little over 2 months! Like I mentioned last week, things are looking up. I subbed for the first time today and I've been interviewing for a job that I am extremely interested in and am just praying I get. For the first time in a while, I feel somewhat normal and human again.

The sun has been out ALL week {sorry Chicago and Ohio peeps for all the snow you've been getting!}. They say it may even hit 60's this weekend! We have visitors coming in a couple weeks, a trip to Amsterdam planned, and a trip to Paris that I have been dreaming about for months in April.

So, while I still miss home, things are honestly looking up here {at least I haven't yelled at anyone for wronging us or had a full on two-year-old-temper-tantrum-meltdown lately...}.

***

Here are some British English words/phrases that make me chuckle:

1. Jab: Shot, as in "You can get a flu jab at your local Walgreens."2. Mooching around: Walking around, as in "We're going to go to Hyde park and mooch around."3. Tartan: Plaid pattern, as in "I like your tartan tie because of the blue and red print." 4. Lie-in: Sleeping in, as in "Instead of a lie-in, I should go to a morning yoga class."5. Cinema: Movie theater, as in "I'd like to go see American Sniper at the cinema."6. Crisps: Potato chips, as in, "My favorite crisps are the original Ruffles."7. Courgette: Zucchini, as in "Because courgette bread has a vegetable in it, I feel healthy eating it." 8. Zed: The letter z, as in, "When alphabetizing books, be sure the authors' last names goes from a to zed."9. Mithering: To complain, as in, "Quit your mithering!" 10. Biscuits: Cookies, as in "Do you want a chocolate biscuit for dessert?"

I don't know if it's my excitement for the London Fashion Week that I'm attending this afternoon with some new friends, February ending, spring approaching, one month until we have visitors and a big dose of America + home, volunteering at a local school library, some exciting job prospects, or all of the above, but this week has been a significant improvement from the last few weeks. Nevertheless, there is still much to learn....

1. Pub Sundays are a whole-family affair with kids, babies, grandparents, dogs, and friends.2. Everyone says "cheers." From what I've gathered, it could be any of the following: hello, goodbye, and thank you. 3. Pop-up stores are a big thing here. There are pop-up clothing or home boutiques, pop-up outlet stores, pop-up coffee shops, pop-up furniture stores, pop-up pubs, etc. They seem to be there in a blink of an eye and then it's gone.4. They put butter on errr-thang. And it's so good. But oh, so bad. 5. Country music is not the country music that I love at home {I miss Luke Bryan and Hunter Hayes...}. They consider it to be Rock&Roll and sometimes jazz. 6. The blocks are not in squares like Chicago, so I am constantly getting lost and can barely find my way back.7. Speaking of getting lost, City Mapper and Google Maps are greats apps to use when lost or when figuring out the quickest way to get from A to B {of course that would require you to have a working phone with data...}. 8. The Taylor Walker company is a conglomerate that seems to buy out old pubs. The pubs keep the individual names, which makes tourists think the pub is unique. However, it's not. And the sign that says "Best Fish + Chips in London" is a lie. Find a pub that does not belong to the Taylor Walker group. You'll thank me. 9. While I am starting to loathe the rain, Brits seem to think it's normal {which I guess it is in England}. As someone put it, there is no such thing as poor weather, but rather, it's being poorly prepared. 10. I love America so much more than I ever have. Not that I've never had pride for my country, but being away makes me realize how much I love anything + everything America {which just feeds right into our stereotype, doesn't it?}.

Still here. In London. I can't decide if I love it or if I hate it. I'm pretty sure it's both. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of things to do here. Loads of attractions to see and people to meet and cities and countries to travel and explore. That's why I love it: the ability to see the world is at my fingertips. But it's not home. It's not Chicago. And that's why I hate it. Maybe once I've learned all that I need to learn in order to feel comfortable here, I will fall madly in love with this city. I can only hope *sigh*.

1. I must learn to order meat in {kilo}grams and not in pounds. I also must learn to measure in this way, as well, as most recipes and food portions are in grams. 2. Washer and dryers are combined into one machine. Because of that, laundry loads have to be super small and each load takes about 3 hours. I'm honestly doing laundry 3-4 days a week. Woof.3. Leyland is my new Home Depot. It has paint and wire cutters and any other home supplies you may need to make your flat feel like home. I kind of think it's better because it's smaller, and I don't have a lot of space to wander around wondering where to find a product. 4. I can't find large packs of Q-tips or hangers anywhere. Because of that, Amazon is becoming my new bff. I feel like I'm cheating on Target. Sorry Target, I will come back for you. That's a promise. 5. They LOOOOooooVE chicken here. There are so many chicken restos here: KFC, Chicken Express, Nandos, Chicken Shop, Chickenland {ok so I don't think that is a real resto here, but you get the idea, there's a place that specializes in "THE BEST" chicken on every block}.6. Fruit, veggies, and cheese are amazingly juicy + flavorful +fresh + to.die.for here. I crave it all the time.7. There are no stop signs. Nor are there speed limits. At least I haven't seen any.8. I'm pretty sure all I do is walk and eat here. I need to get a Fitbit. 9. A monger is one who sells a specific good. The meat monger sells meat, the fishmonger sells fish, the iron monger sells lightbulbs, tools, small kitchen appliances, and cooking utensils. Therefore, when I have a list of things to buy, I can't simply go to Target for everything; I need to go to specific mongers or stores for each item. So it takes hours to get errands completed. 10. Most grocery stores deliver. You can go to the actual store, like Whole Foods {the Disney World of all grocery stores!}, pick out your food, and then have them deliver the bags within a 2 hour window for you {so you don't have to lug the bags on the tube} OR you can order the food through an online grocer, like Ocado, in the comfort of your own home and have it delivered on a specific day and time. Oh my word...it's the best thing EVER!

Before moving, I mistakenly thought that within a month's time, I would be a full-blown Londoner: adept in the language and skilled at the tube and bus, as well as have a job. And here I am, a month and a half later, ordering meat in pounds not in {kilo}grams, still taking the wrong tube line to only have to go back in the direction I came from, getting stuck by a closing tube door, and still being a lady of leisure {although I am starting to volunteer next week as a library assistant!}. The impatient, little, American girl inside me will just have to understand that it may take several months before the sophisticated {although I don't know if this is ever in the cards for me!} Londoner emerges. In the meantime, I'll continue to take note of the following lessons:

1. Ranch dressing doesn't exit here. That's probably good for my waistline. 2. If you own a TV, you must pay a TV license {about 12 GBP a month} on top of your monthly cable bill. Supposedly, this license is for BBC News.3. Most places have small heaters rather than central heat or air. The 3 that we have are automatic, so they turn on and off just like central heating.4. Most living rooms are enclosed by a door to contain the heat or air.5. The tubes are packed, body-to-body, on the weekends. I was practically eating a girl's furry jacket hood the other weekend. Yuck.6. Don't get closed in the tube door. It hurts. Trust me.7. Direct debit builds credit, and without UK credit, you're not considered a real human being.8. After watching a rugby match, I kinda, s.o.r.t.a miss football {OH MY GOODNESS! I said it!}. 9. In England, they think that typing a PIN number after every transaction is safe. In fact, no one signs their receipts because it's all verified with a PIN number. 10. Bagels, microwavable popcorn, chips + salsa + any other delicious Mexican food, and a good slice of pizza are hard to find here {if it's existent at all...}. 11. The UK calendar starts the week on a Monday. which truthfully really irks me. I think it's because when I was an aide in my friend's classroom, she always sang to her kiddos the "Days of the Week" song, so it was drilled into my head that the week starts on a Sunday.

I'm going to apologize in advance for the rant I'm about to go on. I've been trying to keep it together, but I'm bursting at the seams with all the mishaps we've dealt with since moving...

Bank accounts took 1 month and 4 days to be fully functional. The bank told us we would have the cards within 10 days of January 5.

Our movers will not arrive with our Chicago belongings until the end of March. Originally, they told us it would take 8-10 weeks from Dec. 26.

Our internet will not be set up until February 17. We were told it would be set up today, February 9.

Ross can't get a phone + contract until 3 months from February 7 {he may be getting one through work}. We were told this would be the case as we don't have UK credit and need to build it up with direct debits in the next 3 months. However, there have been a few phone companies who have led us to believe that we could bypass this "probationary" period. Turns out, like most people here, they were wrong.

What I've learned is that Ross and I can be anywhere in the world and have fun together because we both just enjoy exploring with one another. However, we have this constant gray cloud following our every step of this move, and we cannot seem to get our lives together here. So while our weekends are a nice break from the real world, these issues above and probably a few others I forgot make the weeks rough. And I just keep thinking, should we just go home? Why are we here if it's this difficult?

Truthfully, I'm left feeling like a huge, deflated balloon with a funny accent who everyone stares at {because they can't figure out what an abnormally giant-Asian-but-white-looking-Chicago-accented-clueless-girl is doing in London}.

Will this all be worth it in the end? #wah #iamahugebaby #bahhumbug #angryamericangirl

Thursday, February 5th marked the one month anniversary of being an American ex-pat. We landed in London without a clue as to what we were getting ourselves into. And after one full month of being a resident, we have learned a great deal. However, we have so much more to learn. I'm looking forward to seeing what February has in store for us {and I'm hoping for less two-year-old tantrums from an almost 30-year-old}! #FarewellJanuary

1. On a single day you will hear a variety of different languages. Chances are, you don't know which language someone is speaking {and if you're like me, you'll stare in awe}. 2. Cars are parallel parked in any direction no matter the side of the road it's on {see photo below}.3. Everything is labeled a house {Millbank House, Somerset House, Moor House}, square {Leceister Square, Euston Square, Trafalgar Square}, garden {Covent Garden, Redcliffe Gardens, Cresswell Gardens}, or circus {Oxford Circus, Picadilly Circus, St. George's Circus}.4. "It's all right" is how the English respond after Americans profusely thank them like excited puppies. The contrast in enthusiasm is a bit shocking at first. 5. The English eat meals and walk at the same time, even with noodles and sushi! I need to learn how to multitask; it has to be better for your metabolism {wedding dress, here I come!}.6. Sales associates do not proactively seek customers to offer assistance; instead, customers must ask for help and they must have a very specific question, otherwise the customer will be over looked {in other words, customer service appears to be lacking here}.7. TJ Maxx is called TK Maxx {silly me thought the Brits pronounced their j's as k's}. Same store, same products, slightly different name. But hey, at least I can still be a "Maxxinista" here. 8. Flat booties like this, this, and especially Timberlands like this, are a very popular and practical walking shoe in rain, snow flurries, or sunshine. 9. Garbage cans are few and far between {I couldn't find a trash can in 3 blocks OR in the tube/overground train station the other day!}, which makes it difficult to be Earth-friendly. However, it doesn't surprise me now that the streets of London are filthy. 10. Pedestrians may cross using the "Zebra," which are lights that act as a stop sign. At this crosswalk, cars must stop to allow for pedestrians to cross the street {see picture below}. 11. When people are on holiday or out of the office, do not expect a return email back {which is how it should be, but is nonetheless frustrating when you are trying to get something done}. 12. Sadly, I've learned that one month isn't enough time to adjust to our new home. This feeling of homesickness will not disappear. I miss my family + friends, the ability to drive or cheaply fly anywhere in the states at a moment's notice, JP Grazianos {they literally knew my sandwich and name since I went in every Saturday for lunch}, Portillos, Chicago's beautiful skyline, and my job. Starting over is hard work + exhausting {aaanndd here comes the two-year-old crying tantrum I said I would try to avoid this month...}.

The zebra is circled in red and the bulbed lights blink to remind drivers to slow down {and sometimes, they definitely need the reminder!}.